So I’ve come to an age when I’m grappling with crows feet. When I smile, there they are in their etched glory. I’m not quite sure how it happened, as I religiously apply sunscreen (well every morning) and I use very expensive skincare, but they are there. Hello! Hmm…botox starts a whispering.

I’ve been staring at them for a while now; so long that I feel quite vain. I look at these crevasses of skin in all sorts of light and situations. I’ve noticed that if my bones are weary my wrinkles are so much deeper. When I’m full of vitamin c and whim for life, then my wrinkles are ok. Morning is much better than night and for the love of all that’s delicious in life I better not look down in a mirror. GoodGod! That’s a sign of things to come.

So, I’m at that stage when I am deciding whether to botox or not to botox. Do I get myself injected with the Botulism virus which may or may not in twenty years time turn me into a middle aged, fine, limp haired (but hilarious) zombie? However, in the mean time, I will look like a much youthful, peach cheeked version of my Irish self or do I ride the waves of time and somehow come to terms that my smoking hot days are well and truly somewhere else.

I know it’s psychological, but I am inherently a vain creature, and I don’t feel middle aged. Just so much more connected and wiser and filled with luscious laughter.Why must my skin and body look so haggard when I am feeling the best I’ve ever felt???

I really like the idea of my own cells being injected into my wrinkles, but by all accounts, we are a while off. So, I think I’ll continue to use my dermal roller (best thing ever) and my bloody excellent Mukti products and hope to heck that by the time the wrinkles kick in permanently and not just when I smile they have made some advancements in this area.

Where are you at really, with all this business? I don’t just want to hear platitudes about ageing gracefully etc. Tell me where you’re at. Are you puzzled as I am, bemused, angry or very content?

It’s a snuggly Winter’s night. I have a bowl of ice cream in my lap, a steaming cup of camomile tea on the bedside table and I’m are snuggled up in bed watching my latest binge series. Face serum on, pj’s donned all is well in the world.

There is even a new term for it- Netflix face. (Obviously not a scientific classification. Perhaps we will soon say, “She’s been Netflixed.” or the cure will be “Netfixed”. Sorry, I’m digressing again.)

Do you have the dreaded Netflix Face?

Scientists and dermatologists have just started to measure the effects of a “screen” on our skin.

Apparently, if you have:

pigmentation

rashes

blotches

sagging skin

fine wrinkles

and you

Use sunscreen when you go outside

Use a computer and devices a lot

Then, we are in trouble.

Ongoing exposure to a computer screen, ipad screen, mobile screen and mobile device “screen” may lead to pigmentation, rashes, blotches and skin sensitivities. There is evidence that suggests that ongoing exposure to device and computer screens causes photoageing.

As if the sun and ageing wasn’t enough!

If your skin is already a little sensitive, then you are at even more risk.

There are two main theories circulating.

The first and most sinister is, that it is the combination of electromagnetic radiation and HEV light is doing damage at a cellular level and the skin cannot repair itself.

Olle Johansson, Swedish associate professor at the Experimental Dermatology unit at the Karolinska Institute, has written extensively on the subject.

His terminology for the condition is “screen dermatitis” in which skin cells come under stress due to ongoing exposure to light and electromagnetic fields.

There have been a few minor studies to back this up, but more extensive work needs to be done specifically focussing on this area.

Some scientists and dermatologists, however, feel that it is just the exposure to the ultra blue light (HEV light) that does the damage. The theory being that the light penetrates the skin more deeply that UV light. Justine Hextall in an article from the UK Express said that when the HEV penetrates the skin it results in free radical damage. More work still needs to be done in wider studies.

However, given the chunks of delectable time we place our cute little noses in front of a screen, I don’t care which theory is true, it’s obvious there is a problem and it’s time to take heed!

The Solution

The dilemma we have folks, is that we do not at this stage know which theory is correct and the advice given by dermatologists to treat and prevent it differs.

So, I suggest we incorporate both and that we we have our bases and faces (How nice . A little rhyme) covered.

Slather your face in your antioxidant serum every two to three hours when using a screen. Vitamin C serum is one of the most popular. The vitamin C serum acts as a barrier to prevent the light penetrating through and doing damage at that cellular level. I am a huge fan of Mukti Organics.

Wear a broadspectrum sunscreen. We need one that has both UVA and UVB protection. Apply it to hands, neck, decolletage (such a beautiful word) and face.

As technology progresses and there is no doubt that we are going to discover more and more about the effects of it at a cellular level on our health. We live in one of the most exciting generations and we want to be able to utilise it to enjoy our lives and the beauty in them as much as possible. Thankfully, we have the knowledge and innovations to be able to have beautiful skin and our technology at the same time. So don your antioxidant serum and apply sunscreen at night and let’s binge.

Have you heard of Netflix face? Do you do anything to keep your skin healthy when you use a screen?

Zali

P.S. If this article bought a little more beauty into your day then please share with someone who would enjoy it.

Sometimes in our lives, we lose sight of ourselves to such an extent that even a litre of cookies and cream ice cream is not going to drag us out of the quagmire that is the dressing gown and slippers.

Sometimes we are so caught up on the treadmill of kids, work, cleaning and caring that our very soul lags behind like a sulky child.

Sometimes, we have become so lost in our roles that we become invisible to ourselves and certainly insignificant.

Some of us may have even been taught that to focus on yourself is selfish.

Beauty- Pah! I don’t have time, money, inclination…. or perhaps just maybe I don’t feel worthy.

I feel very much that when I became a mum with all the beauty, angst, terror and tenderness that it involved I really did step into this role and lose myself for a long time.

So much so, that my confidence twindled away to a dandelion in a strong breeze status.

With a lack of confidence comes a lack of significance and without significance we feel worthless.

So, what is to be done?

1. Fake it until you make it. There is a small, bottom lip trembling part of you that wants you just to have a go otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. However small it is. So, shut your eyes, take a deep breath and go and pick one flower from yours or someone elses garden and place it in a jar beside your bed. Do the same each day until you have one flower in each room.

2. Don’t get overwhelmed with overhauling your beauty and fitness regime, your house, garden, friends etc. Just take one area of your life the one that is the least personal and important to you and start there. See the difference it makes and then move on to the next area of your life.

3. This one really works for me, think of the benefits for others in your life being bringing beauty into your life. Our homes are the sanctuaries we want them to be for our families. Our gardens not only nourish our delectable bodies with their bounty of fruit and veggies, but the garden is an escape for those you love. You are showing your children how to take care of themselves physically and by living a beautiful life in acts of service you are bringing untold joy and reward to the lives of everyone you help and again set a ripper example to your kids.

4. Why don’t you deserve beauty in your life? What is it that is holding you back by the shoulders and stopping you from pursuing a life filled with loveliness and light. Exploring that fear and sitting with it and being ok to be terrified to your guts is I think the first step to fundamental change.

5. Start saying a mantra to yourself. They work. Here’s mine. “I welcome beauty, abundance and prosperity into my life because I am worthy.” We are dealing sometimes with the deepest, darkest sometimes youngest parts of ourselves that take a long time to change. The simple repetition of something like that begins to change the neurological programming of your brain.

6. When you do observe yourself saying things like you don’t deserve beauty in your life, then be really compassionate with yourself. Treat yourself like a great friend who is need of an ear and some advice. Pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine. I think some cheese and some nice crackers are in order too. Just write down everything you are feeling without judgement and then write a response to yourself using the same language and words you would to a friend. As women, we are for some reason that I really haven’t fathomed yet, so hard on ourselves! Much harder than we would ever dream of being with a friend.

I hope that gives you a place to start, and know this from the bottom of my sometimes hairy toes…you are in no way alone in feeling this way.

What advice do you have for someone who is feeling like this? Or what do you do when the self-esteem goes for a swim in the toilet?

I padded out of my bedroom the other day with the song of the magpies and looked around with a new perspective and my blinkers off.

There were a few dishes in the sink from last night’s little treat while watching netflix. On the dining room table the sun streamed in to highlight tiny, crusty bits of food that had superglued themselves to the table in a desperate attempt to avoid the cloth after missing out last night. Some of the furniture pieces I’d had were staring at me in bemusement, their stained wood from another decade rolling its eyes at me. The fridge was covered in an assortment of notes, kids artwork and tradespeople’s magnets. Everything was relatively tidy, but it was just a bit bleh.

Where was the emotion in the home? Even after I did my jazzy cleaning routine, it was just sterile. It went further, blinkers still off dressing gown on I trudged into my wardobe. My clothing was ok but didn’t really make me feel anything. It served a purpose of being easy to put on without having to think at the brain dusky hour of the morning. It was dark to avoid all manner of toddler stains. Don’t get me wrong this is a very valid and practical justification for my clothes, but surely, I have another colour other than black.

Right onto the garden. My garden too was neat and tidy, except for the few weeds poking up like wiry grey hairs. (I’ll get you later my friends). Shouldn’t my garden be beautiful and a little wild?

On reflection the components of my life were all working just fine…but I wanted more. Every cell in my body wanted to feel more. I wanted beauty.

But why? When I finally sat down with a cup of tea and very chewy delicious, chocolate biscuit and allowed my eyes to glaze over and drift along. I came up with this…

Ten reasons for living a life filled with beauty.

When you have beauty in your life you feel alive. It ignites the senses. Not just your spidey senses, but your taste buds, your nostril senses, your eardrums and that lovely sensual thing -touch. Not to mention that seeing beauty is like a short circuit to feeling fabulous. This makes you feel damn good! Like you are not just functioning in life, but living it.

When you make your home beautiful and take care of yourself and your appearance. Then every time you walk into your home or put on your clothes you are looking after yourself and respecting yourself. Really, when was the last time you actually looked after yourself?

When you are kind and loving to others you are living a life of beauty and that just makes you feel bloody excellent on the inside.

When things go bad, which, let’s face it happens to everyone, having a life filled with beauty is like having a sanctuary to retreat;a place to heal in.

It’s an expression of that inner-most you. As mums or moms we tend to lose that sense of individuality that makes us that delectable, totally individual you?

Living a life filled with beauty is living in the moment and seeking beauty in all things from the mundane to the previously invisible. The more you start to seek out beauty and appreciate it the more you will see. What you focus on you become.

It is a pleasure. When life is crammed with monotony, or drama or pain and worry, you deserve pleasure. It soothes and balms.

There is less room for negativity, jealousy, anger and depression when you are living a life of beauty. The negative thoughts can’t swirl around on that endless repeat cycle.

When you live a life filled with beauty, you feel beautiful. When you feel beautiful you are beautiful.

When beauty is crammed into your life you feel damn good inside and then anything is possible. You take chances, you live deeply you laugh your guts out and slurp up life like a beautiful, rich wine.

Need I say more to convince you that living a life filled with beauty is well worth pursuing.

Where had my feminist spirit gone? Where had that 13 year old young woman who refused to take typing at school as it was so sexist, snuck off to?

I brushed the toast crumbs off my pyjama top and tucked my greasy hair behind my ears and declared,

“Enough, is enough.”

Now, I’m all about trying to live life beautifully- whether it is writing, child rearing, gardening, building our new home or hanging out with friends and family.

Every moment is bursting with beauty (except when it’s not. Mostly toilet and little people using the toilet related). I may even find a way to make that cleaning beautiful…maybe.

Let me very clear,I do not in any way claim to be beautiful- although I am a very nice, slightly hilarious woman with a penchant for all things sensually fabulous. I am not an expert on having a beautiful house, garden or for that matter nor do I wear beautiful clothes all the time. But, I am on a journey to fill my life to overflowing with beauty and celebrate and savour it like fine wine… aaah wine.

So, I will bring you lots on how I am trying to do it in the following areas- my physical appearance (begone wrinkles), my home and garden and on the inside because we all need a spruce up. Sometimes I do this successfully and sometimes (ok maybe a little more) not successfully.

I do it in the hope that beauty comes and kisses you on the back of the head. You turn around surprised and delighted and you too cry…oh! It’s you! Then, you too begin to bring beauty back into your life again.

So come on, take my hand, brush the crumbs off your pj top too and let’s go about making our lives beautiful…you can bring your toast.